#Cyberchat: Cyber Threats of 2016 with Matt Devost of Accenture

Each episode of the HfS #Cyberchat features HfS Research analyst Fred McClimans going head-to-head in a discussion with a fellow industry insider, delving into the threats, the tools, and the strategies that define the state of cyber security today.

The cyber threats today are both diverse and impactful, with threat actors continually maneuvering to stay one step ahead of the enterprise cyber security team. Understanding how to properly identify and assess vulnerabilities is key to shifting from reactive to proactive strategies – a capability that is core to increasing the level of enterprise security maturity.

In this edition of the HfS #Cyberchat, Fred McClimans of HfS Research sits down with Matt Devost, Managing Director of Accenture’s Vulnerability and Threat Intelligence Practice to discuss the state of Cyber Security and the trends moving enterprise security forward. Matt and his team have developed a series of “adversary impersonation” techniques where they can develop and implement bespoke, real-time attacks using the skills and tools that would be used by real-world threat actors, from state-sponsored organizations to organized crime and “threat for hire” teams.

Some of the key topics highlighted in this discussion include:

• The role of threat-centric perspectives in identifying and addressing cyber security vulnerabilities
• Leveraging real-time, real-world adversary impersonation as a means to effectively test the security and incident response capabilities of an enterprise security team
• How the rise of “mass risk”attacks and record aggregation are increasing the risk faced by both enterprises and individuals
• Understanding the challenges  of state-sponsored and  critical infrastructure attacks
• The strategy and end-game behind enterprise spear-phishing attacks
• The importance of a dual physical/digital security strategy
• Why the Internet of Things (IoT) is really the Internet of Risky Things
• What to expect with the evolution of attack vectors and threat behavior over the coming 18-24 months